Tesco, the British parent company that owns the Fresh & Easy stores in the United States, announced the chain was losing money.

"I have been clear since my appointment as CEO was announced that my role is to deliver long-term value for shareholders," wrote Philip Clarke, Tesco chief executive, in a press release in early December. "Following a year in which my priority for Fresh & Easy was to improve its performance, I have now made a fully-informed assessment of its longer term potential. Whilst the business has many positives, its journey to scale and acceptable returns will take too long relative to other opportunities. I have therefore decided to conduct a strategic review of Fresh & Easy, with all options under consideration."

Tesco expects to announce the results of the review in April. Until then, it's business as usual in all the 200 stores in California, Nevada and Arizona, said Fresh & Easy spokesperson Brendan Wonnacott.

The first stores opened in 2007 and there are 19 Fresh & Easy stores in the Bay Area, one of them in Pacifica, in the Pedro Point Shopping Center. Speculation is high about whether or not that store will close. The store has attracted a number of loyal local customers.

"It's too early to speculate about one particular store," Wonnacott said. "The process has just begun."